Island Roads Rescue Overgrown Ventnor Pitch for Youth Footballers
Island Roads has stepped in to transform a forgotten football pitch in Ventnor, giving local youngsters a proper place to play.
15 Years of Neglect Cleared Away
The Rew Valley Youth FC pitch had been left to rot for around 15 years. Dense undergrowth, uneven ground, rocks, and debris made the two-acre site unusable. The youth club, home to 60 boys aged six to 14, desperately needed a new playing surface.
“The land was overrun with brambles and gorse,” says club secretary Donald Bardell. “Island Roads cleared large areas and shredded the scrub, cutting half an acre to ground level. This fast-tracked our ground works, letting contractors focus on levelling and soil replacement.”
From School Fields to a New Home
After losing access to school pitches following a change of ownership, Rew Valley Youth FC secured a lease for the Watcombe Bottom site in Ventnor. Volunteers started clearing but quickly realised the job was too big.
Island Roads came to the rescue with specialist mowers and flails, slicing through the thick vegetation and prepping the ground for restoration.
Giving Ventnor’s Youth Football a Boost
Donald Bardell added: “This project will help return youth football to the town’s senior club. It’ll allow us to keep existing teams and support even more youngsters in this socially deprived area.”
Island Roads’ operations manager Dave Wallis said: “We’re proud to support a club dedicated to developing young talent in Ventnor. It’s great to help get the pitch back to playing condition.”
